The average commercial project misses 22–31 LEED credits through documentation gaps and sequencing errors — not design failures. We close that gap.
What's the difference between Silver, Gold, and Platinum?
And does the tier you target actually change your construction decisions?
The tiers are thresholds on LEED's 110-point scale — not fundamentally different programs. Gold (60–79 pts) and Platinum (80+) require the same documentation process as Silver (50–59 pts). The strategy changes, not the workflow.
| Tier | Points | Market Premium | Avg. Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified | 40–49 | 3–5% | 10 mo. |
| Silver | 50–59 | 5–8% | 11 mo. |
| Gold | 60–79 | 8–14% | 13 mo. |
| Platinum | 80–110 | 14–22% | 16 mo. |
Source: CBRE Sustainable Building Premium Report, Q3 2024
How long does certification actually take?
And what's the difference between project completion and certification date?
The GBCI review itself takes 25–40 business days. The real timeline is your documentation readiness. Projects that track credits from day one typically submit complete packages. Projects that scramble at the end wait 6–12 months longer — or miss credits entirely.
The most common delay: missing commissioning documentation. Projects that hire a commissioning authority at groundbreaking save an average of 4.3 months versus those who engage at substantial completion.
See exactly which credits your project qualifies for — and which ones you're missing.
Will LEED certification increase my construction budget?
The real question is: how much of the premium is documentation cost vs. actual construction cost?
LEED certification adds 0.4–4% to hard costs depending on your starting point. But 60–70% of credits require documentation only — no additional materials or systems. The question is whether you're paying for a consultant to find those credits, or paying for missed opportunities at the appraisal.
Four services. One outcome: your certificate.
Credit Gap Analysis
We map your existing design against all 110 LEED credits and identify which are already earned, which are achievable, and which require investment decisions.
Documentation Management
We own the LEED Online submission portal, coordinate with your MEP engineers, commissioning authority, and contractor to gather, format, and submit every required template.
Energy Modeling Oversight
We review energy models for compliance with ASHRAE 90.1 baselines and EA Credit requirements — catching errors before GBCI review, not after.
Retrofit Strategy
For existing buildings pursuing LEED O+M or EB certifications, we sequence improvements to maximize credit capture without disrupting occupancy.
Your building's certification roadmap starts with a 30-minute call.
We'll review your project type, timeline, and target tier — and tell you exactly which credits are within reach before you commit to anything.